One Day, One Job » environmental

Earth Day Network

Willy Franzen — Sun, 22 Apr 2012 16:15:41 +0000

SinglePlatform is hiring 50 new grads in New York City to help local businesses get discovered. Learn how you can be one of them.

Earth Day is a contrived holiday. It was designed as a day of teach-ins across the country to educate students about environmental evils. April 22 was chosen as the date because it fit perfectly between spring break and final exams. If you want to maximize on-campus student activity, this is the time of year to do it. It’s worked. Earth Day now has more than 40 years of history behind it, and it continues to be a great way to rally people for environmental causes. Earth Day Network is a Washington, DC based non-profit organization that organizes Earth Day activities across the world while also focusing on environmental causes year round. In the past they’ve “executed successful environmental campaigns on issues ranging from climate change and drinking water to voter registration and saving the whale.”

Join the Network

Now that Earth Day Network is entering their slower period (I’m assuming their busy time is the months leading up to April 22nd), they can focus on their variety of programs. Right now some of their big projects are Greening Schools and Promoting Environmental Education, Accelerating the Global Green Economy, and A Billion Acts of Green. What I think is really cool about Earth Day Network is that they work at all levels: local, state, national, and global. Many organizations claim to do that, but not many have their own holiday that they can use to bring everything together. If you are a big fan of Earth Day, then take a look at Earth Day Network’s Jobs page. Right now they’re looking for an Online Engagement Manager. They say that they want someone with “2-3 years experience with digital advocacy and marketing,” but I think that there are plenty of recent grads who can fit that bill.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What are you doing for Earth Day?

Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation

Willy Franzen — Sat, 14 Apr 2012 15:47:31 +0000

April is the month of Opening Days. My two favorite seasons–baseball and fishing–open all across the country this time of year. I’ve already snuck up to Michigan’s Au Sable River once this year to go fishing, and I have another trip planned in a couple weeks. I’m lucky that I have such a wonderful place to spend my time, and I have a number of conservation groups to thank for their work in protecting and improving the river system and its trout fishing. I’m a total sucker for anything related to hunting or fishing, so when a reader e-mailed me yesterday to tell me about a job at the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation, there was no doubt in my mind that I’d be writing about them today. They’re a Washington, DC based non-profit organization that provides “access and a voice for sportsmen in the U.S. Congress, the Administration and federal land management agencies, as well as state legislatures across the country.” They’ve been at it for more than 20 years, and they’ve accomplished quite a bit in that time.

A Sporting Life

The one thing that bothers me about the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation is their website. It’s poorly designed and looks unprofessional (some pages have broken images); however, there is still a good amount of useful information. I just expect better from an organization that calls itself “the most respected and trusted hunting and fishing organization in the political arena.” Still, their results speak for themselves. Here’s what they’ve done at the federal level, and here’s some information on their state level work. If you love the sporting life and its intersection with politics, but for some insane reason would like to live in Washington, DC (where a sporting life requires sitting in traffic to escape the city), then take a look at the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation’s Jobs page. Right now they’re looking for a Communications Coordinator, and it looks like a great opportunity for a new or recent grad.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Do you hunt or fish?

National Marine Sanctuary Foundation

Willy Franzen — Sun, 11 Mar 2012 13:43:31 +0000

One of the most amazing things about the United States is our National Park system (check out National Park Service jobs)–it really shows off how vast and how diverse the country’s natural beauty is. While you’ve probably visited at least one National Park and know of many more, chances are that you’ve never heard of National Marine Sanctuaries. NOAA manages the system of sanctuaries “to conserve, protect, and enhance their biodiversity, ecological integrity and cultural legacy.” The National Marine Sanctuary Foundation is a Silver Spring, MD based non-profit organization that “was created to assist the federally managed National Marine Sanctuary Program with education and outreach programs designed to preserve, protect and promote meaningful opportunities for public interaction with the nation’s marine sanctuaries.”

Under the Sea!

Before you dig in and learn about the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation, you really need to learn about the National Marine Sanctuaries. This is probably a good place to start, and you’ll also want to read up on the history of the program. From there you can start to learn more about the NMSF. There isn’t a ton on their website, so the best way to take a deep dive into what they do is to read their most recent annual report. It’s a lot to read, but it will give you a much better idea of now the non-profit interacts with the federal government. If you like what you see, then you will probably want to check out the NMSF’s latest job posting for an Accounting and Administrative Assistant. It looks like a great way to get involved with a really cool organization–don’t overlook them like most people overlook our marine sanctuaries.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Have you visited any National Marine Sanctuaries?

League of Conservation Voters

Willy Franzen — Sun, 19 Feb 2012 14:42:35 +0000

Environmental issues and politics make an interesting combination. The environment is typically a long-run issue, and politicians are historically bad at dealing with anything that isn’t in the short-term. If you don’t believe me, look no further than the national debt or the Social Security situation. The reason for this is that most voters don’t get fired up about stuff that is going to happen in 5/10/100 years. Voters get fired up about the present, so that’s what politicians cater to–remember it’s all about reelection. If you want politicians to act with a long-term mindset, you really have to push them, and that’s exactly what the League of Conservation Voters does. They’re a Washington, DC based non-profit organization that “works to turn environmental values into national priorities.” They do this by focusing on two key areas: educating the public about environmental issues and helping elect pro-environment leaders.

A League of Its Own

The League of Conservation Voters has a long list of issues that it focuses on including Clean Air, Clean Energy, Clean Water, Global Warming, Hardrock Mining, Holding Big Oil Accountable, Open Spaces, Toxic Chemicals, Transportation, and Wildlife. They attack these issues at the national level while also having their state chapters work at more local levels. I think one of the more interesting things that they do is hold congresspeople accountable through the National Environmental Scorecard. You can plug in your representative’s name and see what his or her record is on important environmental issues. If you’re excited by the League of Conservation Voters’ values and want to be a part of what they’re doing, then take a look at their Careers page. Right now they’re looking for a Development Assistant (deadline has passed, but it’s still worth applying since it’s still posted) and a Special Events and Major Gift Program Coordinator. Both positions look like good fits for new or recent grads, so check them out.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What do you know about the League of Conservation Voters?

Environmental Law Institute

Willy Franzen — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 18:17:04 +0000

It’s amazing how a good snowfall can quiet a city down. It may not be as serene as a natural landscape, but it reminds you that nature still exists in a setting that has been almost completely altered by man. It’s easy to forget about the environment when you live in a city, but I’m sure that’s not a problem for the people at the Environmental Law Institute. It’s a Washington, DC based non-profit organization that “makes law work for people, places, and the planet.” That’s an important role because environmental health is a public good that can be ruined by the actions of a few. Environmental changes can have all kinds of externalities, so it’s important that our legal system is set up in a way that promotes “a healthy environment, prosperous economies, and vibrant communities.”

A Good Environment for You

The Environmental Law Institute was founded in 1969, and since then they have been providing “insightful and impartial analysis to opinion makers, including government officials, environmental and business leaders, academics, members of the environmental bar, and journalists.” They do this with a focus on six program areas: Freshwater & Oceans, Land & Biodiversity, Environmental Governance, International Programs, Climate & Energy, and Environmental Health. One of the organization’s major accomplishments is training “over 50,000 lawyers and managers as well as 1000 judges from 16 countries in basic and advanced environmental law and practice,” and that has led to some of the success stories you’ll find on this page. If you’d like to be part of future successes, then you should take a look at the ELI’s Careers page. Right now they’re looking for a Research Associate and a Graphic Designer. There are also postings for some Law Clerk positions and a Public Interest Environmental Law Fellowship, but the application deadlines have passed.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What have you heard about the Environmental Law Institute?

WildAid

Willy Franzen — Sun, 11 Dec 2011 18:03:46 +0000

The University of Chicago has five job openings that are perfect for recent grads. Check them out here.

I’ve always been fascinated by wildlife. Every time I see a species that I’ve never seen before in the wild, I get excited. So I find it upsetting that so many amazing animal species are in danger of extinction. I realize that some extinction is natural, some is caused indirectly by man, and some is caused directly by man. It’s that last group that is most worrying. There is currently a $5-10 billion worldwide trade in illegal wildlife, yet many wildlife conservation efforts ignore this fact–they invest millions in try to protect the species, but they ignore the demand side. WildAid is a San Francisco, CA based non-profit organization that aims to “end the illegal wildlife trade in our lifetimes by reducing demand through public awareness campaigns and providing comprehensive marine protection.”

Get Wild

WildAid’s programs focus on six specific areas: Sharks, Tigers, Elephants, Rhinos, Marine Protection, and Climate. Much of their work is focused on awareness and advocacy. WildAid teams up with celebrities to deliver their messages. So far they’ve worked with names like Yao Ming, Leonardo DiCaprio, Harrison Ford, Jackie Chan, Kate Hudson, Carmelo Anthony, and a lot of people I’ve never heard of. It’s many of those names that I’m unfamiliar with that are most important. Why? Because they’re stars in their countries–countries that are huge participants in the illegal wildlife trade. So far WildAid has received “well over $100 million (USD) in pro-bono media support,” and I expect that they’ll continue to push their message until “the killing stops.” If you’re moved by WildAid’s message, check out their Jobs page. Their current postings aren’t quite entry level, but you should still take a look at their opportunities to see where you might fit in.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What’s your favorite endangered species?

Switch

Willy Franzen — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 16:13:40 +0000

The University of Chicago has a number of entry level positions open right now. Check them out here.

Call me whatever you want, but I still buy incandescent light bulbs. I tried a few CFL bulbs in the past, but they were an utter disappointment–not very bright and a disgusting color of light. I paid more for them because they’re supposed to pay off in the long run, but they can’t save me money if I don’t use them. It’s going to take a more compelling energy efficient light bulb design to get me to switch. And that’s exactly what Switch has come up with. They’re a San Jose, CA based startup that is using LED technology to replicate the beautiful light of an incandescent bulb without wasting so much energy. They’re close to achieving the holy grail of light bulbs (and a big pay day), especially considering that there will essentially be a ban on incandescent bulbs by 2014. Now they just need to convince people to switch.

How Many College Grads Does It Take to Screw in a Light Bulb?

Right now Switch is testing their light bulbs at “several distinctive hospitality properties,” but it sounds like they’re close to making them available to the general public. This article does a fantastic job of telling the Switch story and mentions that they were planning on shipping in October, but that date seems to have slipped. The story that really makes Switch’s bulbs compelling is all numbers. This spreadsheet from the aforementioned article will show you how the bulbs compare with incandescent bulbs. You break even in year 4 of owning a Switch bulb, and you come out almost $100 ahead over 20 years (yes, a Switch bulb is supposed to last 20 years). Multiply that out by an average of 45 lightbulbs per household (source: the internets), and you are looking some really meaningful savings. And that’s exactly what it will take to get people to switch. If you want to be part of the future of light bulbs, then consider a Career with Switch. They don’t list specific openings, but they do appear to be interested in hearing from candidates who want to work with them. They’re a small, young, growing company, so it’s worth a shot to reach out to them.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Will you Switch?

National Fish and Wildlife Foundation

Willy Franzen — Sun, 04 Dec 2011 14:41:20 +0000

For me there’s nothing better than spending time outdoors fishing and being surrounded by wildlife. I think I’m particularly lucky, because I live in a time where I’ve actually seen many of my favorite fishing spots get better over the years. A lot of the conservation work done by organizations like Trout Unlimited and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation is paying off. That’s not to say that we’ve eliminated the threats to nature, but it feels like we hit an inflection point some time during my lifetime. The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation is a non-profit organization that was created by Congress in 1984 to direct “public conservation dollars to the most pressing environmental needs and matches those investments with private funds.” They’re based in Washington, DC, and they’ve “awarded over 11,000 grants to more than 3,800 organizations in the United States, investing a total of $1.8 billion for conservation” over the past 3 decades.

Get Wild

The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation is all about bringing public and private conservation projects together. They don’t seem to actually do any work on the ground, but they have the money to significantly influence where conservation funding goes. You can get a sense for how the NFWF works by reading up on their Grant Programs, and you can browse their Grants Library to learn more about the specific projects (though this feature is currently giving me a server error). There isn’t all that much else on the NFWF website, though they also have a Impact-Directed Environmental Accounts Program that “receives, manages, and disburses funds that originate from court orders, settlements of legal cases, regulatory permits, licenses, and restoration and mitigation plans.” If you like what NFWF is doing for conservation, then you can get involved by checking out their Careers page. The Digital Media and Web Services Manager could be a fit for a recent grad, and there’s also a Grants Administrator position posted on Idealist that seems like a good fit for a new grad.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What’s your favorite place to experience wildlife?

Grist

Willy Franzen — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 17:50:30 +0000

So far our survey says that you find the job search frustrating. Tell us more so that we can help.

When I was in Ann Arbor, MI last weekend, I noticed that there’s a tremendous amount of interest in the environment there. Maybe it’s because two of the friends I was visiting got Master’s degrees from University of Michigan’s School of Natural Resources and Environment, but it was also the LED street lights and the students who I met who were asking about green careers. That’s why I wouldn’t be surprised if there are a lot of subscribers to Grist in the Ann Arbor area. Grist is a Seattle, WA based magazine that “has been dishing out environmental news and commentary with a wry twist since 1999.” They’re a non-profit organization, so they’re “funded by foundation grants, user contributions, and advertising.”

Get the Grist of Things

A fair criticism of most of the environmentalist movement is that it lacks a sense of humor. It’s hard to have a laugh when you’re constantly screaming “the sky is falling.” Grist is certainly an exception, as their about page starts with:

Laugh now — or the planet gets it.

You know how some people make lemonade out of lemons? At Grist, we’re making lemonade out of looming climate apocalypse.

It’s more fun than it sounds, trust us!

The sense of humor comes through in articles like Live Your Tiny House Fantasies by Renting One on AirBnB, but there are also plenty of more serious ones like Making Federal Buildings Green Cuts Costs by a Fifth. If you’re digging Grists’s approach, then you may want to consider working for them. Their Jobs page shows that they’re looking for a Web Developer and Idealist shows that they’re looking for an Office Assistant. If neither of those positions sound right for you, you may want to take a look at Grist’s Writer’s Guidelines. There are both paid and unpaid opportunities for writers.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Do you read Grist?

Synthetic Genomics

Willy Franzen — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 16:31:40 +0000

When I think of the energy industry, I think of big machines like oil drills, windmills, and coal elevators. Microbes and genetics just don’t come to mind. Synthetic Genomics is a company that is aiming to change that. Energy is just one of the industries that they are working to disrupt as they develop “breakthrough genomic-driven solutions for major global issues.” Right now Synthetic Genomics, which is based in La Jolla, CA, has put a heavy emphasis on working with the energy and chemical industries because there is so much potential for gain–especially in terms of the environment; however, they’re also working on things like food production, human health, and water availability. It’s all about “turning novel science into life-changing solutions.”

Synthetic Opportunities

Obviously commercialization is a key concern for Synthetic Genomics–they need to develop technologies that can actually make money, but they seem to have decided that fixing some of the world’s most pressing problems will provide plenty of revenue opportunities. Makes sense to me. From what I can tell Synthetic Genomics is really all about developing the technology. Once they have something that is ready for the market, they find partners in the industry to put the technology into action. I wish I could dive deeper into the specifics of what Synthetic Genomics does, but words like “environmental genomics, microbiology, biochemistry, bioinformatics, plant genomics, genome engineering, synthetic biology, and climate change” tell me that I’m in over my head. If you have no problem following along with their What We Do page, then you may want to consider taking a look at their Careers. Right now they’re hiring a Research Associate and a Research Associate – Production R&D. They have a bunch of other positions that require more experience/education, and the only other job that you might want to take a look at is the Business Development Associate position.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What have you heard about Synthetic Genomics?

Sacramento Tree Foundation

Willy Franzen — Sun, 02 Oct 2011 15:56:59 +0000

I used to wake up every day, look out the window, and see the Chicago skyline. In my new place, I wake up and see a whole bunch of trees. Though I know I’ll miss being able to watch the city from a few hundred feet up, it’s a nice change. Who doesn’t love trees? Well, the people at the Sacramento Tree Foundation probably love trees even more than the average person. The Sacramento Tree Foundation is a non-profit organization based in Sacramento, CA that is “working to grow healthy, livable communities in the Sacramento region by empowering people to plant, protect, and learn about trees.” They have a goal of planting 5 million trees in the area by 2025. Though they have a long way to go, they’ve already gotten off to a great start.

Turn Over a New Leaf

As awesome as trees are, Sacramento Tree Foundation isn’t promoting the planting of trees just for the heck of it. They’re promoting trees because trees create all kinds of positive outcomes. They provide shade, clean the air, look beautiful, and even bring communities together. The Sacramento Tree Foundation pursues all of these goals through a number of different Programs and Services. These include Sacramento to Shade, Seed to Seedling, NeighborWoods, nature: Native Trees in the Urban and Rural Environment, Mature Trees, Greenprint Initiative, Community Education, and Parking Lot Retrofits. Right now they’re looking for a Greenprint Relations Coordinator. The job is posted on Idealist, but surprisingly not on the Sacramento Tree Foundation’s Jobs page (which has no current postings). Give the job a look and see if it’s worth applying for.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What’s your favorite kind of tree?

Greencitizen

Willy Franzen — Tue, 09 Aug 2011 15:55:44 +0000

Usually when I get a pitch from PR or Communications agencies, I ignore them. Why? Most of the pitches are terrible. They’re not relevant to me, and they show no respect for my time. Even worse, some of them are downright spammy. That’s why I was pleasantly surprised when I was going through my backlog of e-mail to see a really good pitch on a company that has entry level jobs for environmentally minded grads. (Did I mention that more than 160 people applied for an internship with ODOJ? I’m still getting through all of them.) The company is called Greencitizen, and they’re based in San Francisco, CA. They’re business is all about dealing with the “E-Waste Crisis.” They “help consumers and businesses reduce their environmental footprint of their computer and electronics… by keeping electronics running efficiently through online and in-store repair services, along with environmentally responsible electronics recycling.” So they do a lot of the same things as a typical IT services company (computer repair, data security, tech support, etc), but they’ve made a name for themselves by making everything they do green while also putting a huge emphasis on recycling.

Are You a Greencitizen?

Greencitizen has already served more than 110,000 consumers and 10,000 businesses, so they’re having some serious impact on the environment. They’re also making customers very happy–Greencitizen has 5 stars on Yelp with 55 reviews. That’s impressive. I really like how Greencitizen has positioned itself. Offering free recycling of e-waste is really an ingenious customer acquisition strategy. They must have a constant flow of potential customers walking through their doors. Anyway, Greencitizen seems to be pretty focused on promoting their Career opportunities to those who are interested in Green/Environmental Careers. Their Jobs page shows a number of opportunities that may interest recent grads. These include Entry Level Part to Full-time Warehouse Staff (Burlingame), On-Call to Full-time Warehouse Technician, and PC Technician (Burlingame). These jobs are certainly “hands on,” but they do pride themselves on allowing people to progress through the ranks rapidly (they claim to offer a “Green MBA”). You could also reach out to them about other types of positions.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

How many pieces of hardware do you have lying around that need to be recycled?

Center for Science in the Public Interest

Willy Franzen — Sun, 22 May 2011 14:57:42 +0000

You wouldn’t think that I’m actually happy when people unsubscribe from this list, but if it means that they landed a job or internship, then I’m as pleased as can be. I always try to find out where former subscribers go to work so that I can tell you about opportunities at those places (e-mail me at willy@onedayonejob.com if you have a recommendation). One reader e-mailed me and told me that she went to work at the Center for Science in the Public Interest, which is a non-profit organization that acts “as the organized voice of the American public on nutrition, food safety, health and other issues.” They’re based in Washington, DC, and they’ve been acting in the public interest since 1971. The organization’s main goals are to “educate the public, advocate government policies that are consistent with scientific evidence on health and environmental issues, and counter industry’s powerful influence on public opinion and public policies.” Most of us forget how important of an issue food actually is, but it’s a major public health issue that is only getting worse.

The Food Detectives

The Center for Science in the Public Interest has an interesting funding model. Instead of constantly soliciting for donations and chasing down grants, they publish and sell subscriptions to the Nutrition Action Healthletter. It’s circulated to nearly 2 million people, and it’s completely ad free. Some people call the Center for Science in the Public Interest the “food police,” but they prefer to be called the “food detectives.” Whatever you want to call them, they’re focused on eliminating many of the negative externalities that are caused by today’s food industry. To learn more about the organization, you should definitely watch this video from the organization’s founder Michael Jacobson, Ph.D (e-mail readers may need to click through).

The video mentions some of the many accomplishments of the CSPI. The list is extremely long, and it includes some really impressive things like winning a “decade-long campaign” to pass “a federal law requiring nutrition labeling of packaged foods and a ban on deceptive health claims.” If you want to be part of future CSPI wins, then you should head over to their Jobs page. Right now they have a few interesting positions open: Project Assistant – Nutrition Action Healthletter, Research Associate, and Policy Associate – Health Promotion Policy. If you’re big on nutrition, this could be a great place to work.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What do you think about what the CSPI does?

Center for Environmental Health

Willy Franzen — Sun, 08 May 2011 13:00:27 +0000

Happy Mother’s Day! Thank you to all of the Moms out there, especially mine. Since Mother’s Day always falls on a Sunday, I always try to find a non-profit to feature that is at least tangentially connected to motherhood. In past year’s we’ve taken a look at Baby’s First Home, Family Health and Birth Center, and Crittenton Women’s Union (they often seem to have a lot of positions open). Today we’re going to look at the Center for Environmental Health based in Oakland, CA. Their name doesn’t quite fit in with the other three that I mentioned, but you’ll see how they fit in to the theme in a second. The Center for Environmental Health is a non-profit that “is working to eliminate the threat that chemicals pose to children, families, and communities.” They’re also the home of the MOMS (Making Our Milk Safe) Project, which is a group that has the mission of “protecting the health of our babies by eliminating the growing threat of toxic chemicals and industrial pollutants in human breast milk.”

MOMS to Keep Us Safe

Toxins are scary because we don’t really know where they’re coming from, whether we’re absorbing them, or how they’re affecting us. Where you eat, drink, breathe, and sleep can have huge affects on your longterm health, yet it’s difficult to know what environmental factors we need to worry most about. This gets even scarier when we consider that mothers can pass toxins on to their babies through breast milk. It’s hard to know how big of a deal this is, and there’s a good chance that the folks at the Center for Environmental Health and the MOMS Project are making too much of the issue, but we won’t know until they look into it deeper. There’s a lot of science that is yet to be done to determine what environmental factors are having the greatest negative effects on our longterm health. The Center for Environmental Health is constantly pushing their programs so that Moms and everyone else can make the right decisions for avoiding chemical threats. If you want to be a part of the Center for Environmental Health, then you should check out their Jobs page. Right now they’re looking for a Temporary Research Assistant. The listing does say that the application deadline has passed, but it’s still posted so I think it’s still worth applying. There’s also a Research Internship in New York posted on the CEH page, and on the Making Our Milk Safe page on Idealist. Check those out too.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

How are you celebrating Mother’s Day?

GRID Alternatives

Willy Franzen — Sat, 07 May 2011 15:05:12 +0000

While most of us have become accustomed to higher energy prices, this latest spike has been pretty ugly. I haven’t seen any gas prices starting with a 5 yet, but I’ve seen a few come dangerously close. The situation for home energy doesn’t appear to be quite as dire right now, but it all adds up (and it’s May when most of us turn our heaters off and haven’t yet turned our air conditioners on). Energy costs keep increasing as a percentage of household budgets, and this has an especially negative effect on low-income families and individuals. GRID Alternatives is an Oakland, CA based non-profit organization that is trying to fix this problem. They “empower communities in need by providing renewable energy and energy efficiency services, equipment and training.” Not only are they helping people manage and lower energy costs, but they’re also creating jobs and training people to fill these jobs.

Get on the GRID

GRID Alternatives was founded during the 2001 California energy crisis. I don’t know for sure, but that seems like it was about 6 or 7 energy crises ago. I find organizations like GRID Alternatives really exciting because they’re able to address a number of very different problems through a group of closely connected programs. GRID Alternatives’ core program is called the Solar Affordable Housing Program. It focuses on training and leading “teams of job trainees and other community members to install solar electric systems for low-income families throughout California.” They’re taking on pollution, poverty, and unemployment all at once. If you want to be a part of that mission, then you should check out jobs at GRID Alternatives. Right now they have a few positions that should interest new or recent grads including Outreach Coordinator (Chico, CA), Outreach Coordinator (Carson, CA), Americorps VISTA (IE): Outreach and Program Associate (Inland Empire, CA), Americorps VISTA (IE): Volunteer and Training Associate (Inland Empire, CA), Americorps VISTA (NV): Outreach and Program Associate (Chico, CA), Americorps VISTA (NV): Volunteer and Training Associate (Chico, CA), Americorps VISTA: Volunteer and Outreach Associate (San Luis Obispo, CA), LISC AmeriCorps Outreach and Program Associate at GRID Alternatives (Oakland, CA). Take a look and see what interests you.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What have you heard about GRID Alternatives?

Washington Wilderness Coalition

Willy Franzen — Sat, 23 Apr 2011 13:30:17 +0000

Sponsored Jobs: Love restaurants and looking for an entry level job? SinglePlatform has a ton of positions that are perfect for you. They’re our sponsor this week, and you can check out all of their positions here.

Yesterday I was too busy talking about candy to mention that it was Earth Day. Luckily, a good friend reminded me that I should probably cover an environmentally minded non-profit today. I did a quick search, and came across the Washington Wilderness Coalition. They’re based in Seattle, WA, and they aim to “to preserve and restore wild areas in Washington State through citizen empowerment, support for grassroots community groups, advocacy and public education.” That’s something that I can get behind since I’ve enjoyed Washington State’s wilderness. In 2007 I spent a day fly fishing the Klickitat River. I didn’t catch anything but one tiny rainbow trout/steelhead, but I got to enjoy the scenery and spot some cool wildlife. It’s just the kind of place that Washington Wilderness Coalition aims to protect, and it’s definitely worth protecting.

Join the Coalition

Washington Wilderness Coalition is over 30 years old and 10,000 members strong, and they keep working to idnetify new issues and put together new projects to achieve their mission of preserving Washington’s wildlife. Some of the issues that they’re currently concerned with include mining, logging, off-road vehicle access, and endangered species. One of the organization’s relatively early successes was raising “the public support necessary to pass the 1984 Washington Wilderness Act, which protected over a million acres of wilderness.” You can read about more recent successes here. If you like what you see, then you should check out Washington Wilderness Coalition’s Jobs page and their Idealist page. Right now they’re looking for a Volunteer Coordinator and a Telephone Outreach Organizer and Membership Assistant (part-time). The latter position is posted on the organization’s Jobs page, so give it a look.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What do you know about Washington Wilderness Coalition?

OPOWER

Willy Franzen — Tue, 19 Apr 2011 15:09:39 +0000

SinglePlatform is our sponsor this week. They’re looking to hire new grads from all majors as Outside Sales Consultants in Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, Minneapolis, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Seattle, and Washington, DC. They’re also building an Inside Sales team out of their New York City headquarters.

Have you ever heard of a company or industry that wants you to use less of their product? Doesn’t really make sense, does it? It does if you’re in the power industry, at least to some extent. Some of the biggest proponents of energy efficiency are the utilities themselves. The reason for this is decoupling, or the “disassociation of a utility’s profits from its sales of the energy commodity.” It’s a tactic used by many states to create positive incentives for energy companies to be more green. Still, promoting energy efficiency to consumers is no easy task. That’s where OPOWER comes in. They’re based in Washington, DC and San Francisco, CA, and they use “cutting edge behavioral science and patent-pending data analytics” to enable “utilities to connect with their customers in a highly targeted fashion, motivating reductions in energy use, increased program participation and overall customer satisfaction.” It’s all about helping consumers make better informed decisions (which usually are also better decisions for the environment).

You Got the OPOWER

If I remember correctly, I had a friend in college whose roommates were some seriously nerdy Electrical Engineers. They spent an entire day using voltmeters (or something similar) to figure out the average daily energy consumption of each roommate. They then prorated the monthly electric bill based on usage. OPOWER takes a way cooler approach to doing something similar. You can get a feel for exactly how they do it by taking a look at their Approach, Products, and Results. Because they work directly with utilities, OPOWER is able to get into the homes of millions of consumers through monthly bills. It’s a pretty cool model, and it seems to be working. If you’re excited about what OPOWER is doing, then you need to check out their Careers page at OPOWERJobs.com. They don’t seem big on entry level positions (they like work experience), but there are a few jobs that you should at least take a look at. The Virginia/DC positions include Software Support Engineer, Consumer Marketing Coordinator, Quantitative Analyst, Software Engineer in Test, Policy Analyst, Associate Product Manager, User Experience Prototyper, and Proposal Writer. There are also some Software Engineerings in San Francisco. Take a look at all the jobs, and see if you can match up with the qualifications.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Does your utility work with OPOWER?

Rock the Earth

Willy Franzen — Sun, 27 Mar 2011 14:48:31 +0000

Music has always been connected with social change. There’s just something about it that gets people motivated to take action. But often the music can also be a distraction. It takes a delicate balance to combine the power of music with a specific cause to elicit a positive response. That’s what Rock the Earth is all about. They’re a Denver, CO based non-profit organization that is “dedicated to protecting and defending America’s natural resources through partnerships with the music industry and the world-wide environmental community.” They were founded in 2002, and since then they’ve been “defending the planet one beat at a time.”

What Are You Rocking?

Rock the Earth identifies specific projects and works tirelessly to increase awareness about a variety of environmental threats. Some of their past projects include protecting wilderness from drilling on Colorado’s Roan Plateau, protecting marine ecosystem off the coast of the Northwest Hawaiian Islands, and targeting cruise ships for their discharges and emissions. They’ll often tie in their music partners to help with specific causes. There are some big names on their partner list including Alanis Morissette, Allman Brothers Band, Barenaked Ladies, Dave Matthews Band, Guster, Incubus, Ozzy Osbourne, Phish, Tom Petty & the Heatbreakers, and lots more. If these artists aren’t tied to specific causes, then they’re participating in the Rock the Earth Tours. If you’re digging what Rock the Earth is all about, then you should check out their jobs on Idealist. Right now they’re looking for an Office Administrator. It’s not totally an entry level job, but I’m pretty sure that the right new grad could be a great fit for this position.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Are you rockin’ the Earth?

Sister Cities International

Willy Franzen — Sat, 12 Mar 2011 16:17:58 +0000

We’re all feeling for Japan right now. Earthquakes, tsunamis, and potential nuclear meltdowns are nightmares on their own, but having all three occur together is indescribably terrible. Luckily, Japan is a wealthy and technologically advanced nation that was and is well prepared to deal with such disasters. That doesn’t mean that they don’t need our support. Plenty will come from our federal government, but there will also be support sent from city to city. Why? Because of the relationships formed through Sister Cities International, a Washington, DC based non-profit organization that aims to “promote peace through mutual respect, understanding and cooperation–one individual, one community at a time.” They match up cities across the world to be sister cities (smaller cities may have one sister city while larger cities could have dozens). For instance Riverside, CA is Sendai, Japan’s (the epicenter of the earthquake) sister city, so the people in Riverside are already working to coordinate their part in the relief effort for Sendai. It’s exactly the “people-to-people, citizen diplomacy initiative” that President Eisenhower proposed in 1956.

What’s Your City’s Sister City?

The idea of using municipalities to foster international diplomacy seems a little strange at first, but when you read about Sister Cities International’s history and mission, you’ll start to understand why they’re doing what they’re doing. Another fascinating thing to look at is Sister Cities International’s statistics page. You can learn things like:

Among U.S. states, California has the most sister city programs with 122 communities and 388 partnerships.
More than one-third of the sister city organizations surveyed receive funding from local government to help their sister city program.
Among communities abroad, Japan has the most sister city programs with 228 communities and 239 partnerships.
Among U.S. states, California has the most sister city programs with 122 communities and 388 partnerships.

I really like what Sister Cities International is doing, and I hope that they’re able to make a significant impact in the relief effort in Japan. If reading about Sister Cities International gets you excited, then you should check out their Jobs page and then Idealist for their Youth Ambassador Program Coordinator position. The job looks suitable for a new or recent grad, and it will allow you to work on a student exchange program that focuses on “poverty and the environment, showing local and national examples of how cities and countries are working to alleviate the negative effects of both issues.” Take a look.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What have you heard about Sister Cities International?

Sapphos Environmental

Willy Franzen — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 17:23:21 +0000

It used to be that if you wanted to build something, the hard part would be actually building it. These days the biggest hold up in construction and development is often environmental compliance. There are a multitude of regulations that limit what you can build, where you can build it, and how you can build it. The rules are often complex and they can vary greatly between jurisdictions. Sapphos Environmental is a Pasadena, CA based company that helps its clients resolve “planning, resource management, and environmental compliance issues through the development of pragmatic solutions and exemplary client service.” In other words they offer a range of services that ensure that development projects are done in an environmentally sensitive and compliant way.

Turning Compliance into Poetry

That maybe an odd heading, but it appears that Sapphos Environmental is named after an Ancient Greek poet. To get a feel for what the company does, you need to take a look at some of their past projects. They’ve worked on things ranging from the Hyundai Automotive Test Course to a Comprehensive Citywide Historic Survey of Santa Ana, CA. Looking at these cases, I can tell that Sapphos Environmental really digs in and looks at all of the issues surrounding a given project. Their job is to understand all of the factors that affect a given project, and then offer their clients a suite of options to their that work within the environmental and compliance constraints. It looks like fascinating work, which is why you may want to take a look at their Jobs page. They offer some really cool job titles like Archaeologist, Botanist, Avian Wildlife Biologist, Cultural Resources Coordinator/Architectural Historian, and Wildlife Biologist; however, most of these positions require significant prior experience. The two positions that you should look at are Wildlife Biologist/Botanist and Resources Specialist (if you have a Master’s Degree). If you have the right education and an interest in environmental consulting, you should be a good fit.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What have you heard about Sapphos Environmental?

Global Inheritance

Willy Franzen — Sun, 20 Feb 2011 17:03:21 +0000

If you haven’t already taken a look at our profile on MATCH Public Charter School, now is the time to do it. They’re changing the world of education, and they’re hiring a ton of new grads.

On Friday we took a look at Voxiva, a company that uses mobile technology to help people make simple behavioral changes to improve their health. They’re a for-profit company that is using creative ways to encourage behavioral change to better the world. Global Inheritance is a non-profit that is taking a similar approach, but doing so in a very different way. The Los Angeles, CA based organization develops “unique initiatives [that] focus on the power of creativity to communicate issues with audiences that need a kick in the butt.” The audiences that they’re talking about seem to be largely those at concerts and festivals, but it could be anywhere where young people congregate (and that includes online communities).

What World Are You Inheriting?

Global Inheritance is extremely program focused. They claim to devote 98% of their time designing and executing programs (and not fundraising). These programs are typically focused on using “technology, the arts and interactivity” to reinvent “activism by inspiring people to act responsibly and make the right small every-day choices, which are the ones that matter and create change.” Global Inheritance’s programs include Energy Playground, Energy FACTory, TRASHed :: Recycling Store, TRASHed :: Art of Recycling, Tour Rider, Environmentaland, and more. Some of the programs seem a little goofy (like having Spin and Shake classes where “bike-powered blenders to generate delicious protein shakes for all participants”), but they’re certainly thought-provoking. If you’d like to get involved with Global Inheritance, then you should check out their Idealist page. Right now they’re looking to hire a Special Project Coordinator. The position starts as an unpaid internships but will turn into a paid, full-time position after a month of excellent performance.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What have you heard about Global Inheritance?

Alliance to Save Energy

Willy Franzen — Sat, 12 Feb 2011 16:51:24 +0000

When we talk about energy efficiency, we often think about the environment. If we use less energy, we do less harm to the environment—but that’s only half the story. Energy efficiency is also essential to keeping our world’s economy growing. Nearly all economic activity requires some sort of energy input, and energy is quite obviously a limited resource. If we can find ways to use the energy that we have more efficiently, we can stimulate more economic growth. The Alliance to Save Energy is a non-profit organization that was started in response to the oil embargo of the 1970s. They saw how reliant our economy was on foreign oil, and they wanted to take action to decrease that reliance through conservation. The Washington, DC based organization obviously still has a long way to go, but they have a great track record of helping businesses and the environment at the same time.

Join the Alliance

Beyond looking at the Alliance to Save Energy’s Topic Areas and Programs, the best way to get a feel for what the Alliance to Save Energy does is to watch the video below (e-mail readers click through):

As you can see the Alliance to Save Energy is doing everything they can to promote “energy efficiency worldwide to achieve a healthier economy, a cleaner environment and energy security.” If you’d like to be a part of that mission, then you should check out their Jobs page. Right now they’re looking for a Public & Corporate Relations Administrative Associate. They also have a few more advanced positions posted.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

How do you save energy?

Union of Concerned Scientists

Willy Franzen — Sun, 30 Jan 2011 13:56:39 +0000

Generally, we as a society trust scientists. We see them as unbiased and smarter than us, so we look to them when we need answers to complex questions. However, we often don’t respond to those answers as well as we should. Part of the problem is that science is ever changing—what was thought to be true last year has now been updated (or reversed) based on new research. When you have different experts on the same subject saying different things, you as a layperson don’t know whom to listen to. But when scientists come together on an issue and vocally push for action, it’s time to listen. The Union of Concerned Scientists is a non-profit organization that was founded in 1969 “by a group of scientists and students at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology to protest the militarization of scientific research and promote science in the public interest.” They’re based in Cambridge, MA, and they are “now an alliance of more than 250,000 citizens and scientists” with members “from all walks of life: parents and businesspeople, biologists and physicists, teachers and students.”

Show Your Concern

The Union of Concerned Scientists focuses on three fronts: government policy, corporate practices, and consumer choices. By being vocal in these three areas, they hope to help build a safer and healthier world. The key area of focus for the Union of Concerned Scientists is very clearly the environment, which makes sense if you look at their specific program areas which include Scientific Integrity, Global Warming, Clean Vehicles, Clean Energy, Nuclear Power, Nuclear Weapons and Global Security, and Food and Agriculture. If you want a closer look at the kind of work that the Union of Concerned Scientists does, then you can take a look at their history of accomplishments. If that list inspires you, then it’s time to start thinking about getting a job with the Union of Concerned Scientists. Their Jobs page shows two openings that look well suited for a new or recent grad: Benefits and Accounting Associate (Cambridge, MA) and Program and Outreach Associate (Washington, DC). Both jobs look really interesting, so see if they’re what you’re looking for.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What do you know about the Union of Concerned Scientists?

RecycleBank

Willy Franzen — Tue, 18 Jan 2011 16:05:00 +0000

I don’t know about you, but I try to recycle when its convenient. Like the time my college roommates threw a huge party and I stole all of the empty cans and returned them for the nickel deposits. It was easy money. But I must also admit that I’ve thrown away plenty of recyclables when there wasn’t a proper receptacle for them. Environmentalism is great; however, people respond to incentives, and a healthy Earth a century down the road isn’t much of an incentive for the average person. People need a push, and that’s exactly what RecycleBank does. They’re a New York, NY based company that rewards people for “taking positive green actions.” By doing things like recycling at home, you can earn RecycleBank points. Those points can be redeemed for rewards ranging from Amazon Gift Cards to museum memberships, with lots and lots of other options in between—you can even donate your points.

Take It to the RecycleBank

Now, RecycleBank doesn’t make it all that clear how their business works—even their How It Works page doesn’t do a great job of describing the basic idea. From what I’ve gathered, RecycleBank is all about partnerships. They start with municipalities and haulers, since they’re the ones in charge of local recycling programs. This way you can keep bring your recyclables to the curbside like normal, but RecycleBank works with haulers to record exactly how much you are recycling (and you don’t need to sort your recyclables). The next set of partnerships is with Material Recycling Facilities that end up processing all of the recyclables that go through the RecycleBank program. Then come the advertisers (both local and national)—these are the companies that supply the rewards. They get new market exposure to environmentally conscious consumers in return for providing rewards for RecylceBank members. That’s the only cost. Finally, there’s you, the end user and recycler. If you sign up, you can earn 2.5 points per pound of recyclable material up to an annual cap of 5,400 points per year. It’s hard to find out what those points are actually worth without signing up, but I’m sure you can get some pretty good stuff.

If you’re excited about the nexus of marketing and recycling, then you should check out jobs at RecycleBank. They have quite a few positions open, though most of them require a decent amount of experience. The Outreach Specialist is probably the best fit for a new or recent grad (and they say they want 3 years of experience). There are also some Software Development positions available, but those also seem targeted towards more experience hires. The best option is to reach out to them without applying to a specific position. You can e-mail jobs@recyclebank.com and tell them what you think that you can add to their team. It can’t hurt—they’ve had a lot of interns in the past, (in Community Outreach, Finance, Social Media, and Design) so they certainly value young talent.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Do you recycle?

The Island School

Willy Franzen — Sun, 02 Jan 2011 13:48:55 +0000

Today marks the end of vacation for a lot of people. Tomorrow morning’s blaring alarm will mean back to work or back to school, and the great feeling of the New Year will start to wear off. I have a couple of days left, but I’m not too excited to go back to Chicago’s predicted 19-degree weather on Tuesday night. But what if going back to work or school meant returning to an island in the Bahamas? That would change some attitudes, which is why you should envy the teachers and students at The Island School on Cape Eleuthra. The Island School calls itself “a mind, body, and spirit journey that takes students away from traditional high school curriculum and invites them to confront authentic challenges” where “classes are designed to allow first-hand engagement with the people and environment of The Bahamas.” It’s most definitely not a vacation, but it’s education in a far more welcoming environment.

A Vacation from Vacation

I love experiential learning. There’s no better way to learn than by just sucking it up and doing something that feels uncomfortable. That’s what The Island School is all about. They only teach grades 10 and 11, so it’s a very focused environment. You can learn about their methodology by looking at their pedagogy and their curriculum. That should give you a good idea of what The Island School focuses on from an educational standpoint. Specifically, they teach english, math, environmental art, history, and marine ecology while there is also plenty of time devoted to SCUBA diving, island exploration, sky diving, science research projects, and “campus work that encourages each student to develop leadership and teamwork skills.” I have a friend who took some time away from my high school to go to The Island School, and I’m pretty sure that she loved it. If you’d like to spend some time in The Bahamas, you should check out The Island School’s Teaching positions along with their Teaching Fellowship Program. You can find all of the information on their Jobs page. The Island School offers the following subjects: Human Ecology, Marine Ecology, Literature of the Sea, Histories of the Bahamas, IS Mathematics, Land & Environmental Art, and Applied Scientific Research, so that’s where they need teachers. Give the positions a look and see if The Island School is the right place for you.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What do you think of The Island School?

Rodale Institute

Willy Franzen — Sat, 11 Dec 2010 16:51:51 +0000

Last week I got an e-mail from a One Day, One Job reader who is just wrapping up a seasonal position and looking for her next gig. In doing so, she realized that other readers might be interested in her current position, so she wrote me to tell me about it. When I saw the name Rodale Institute in her e-mail, I swore to myself that I had already featured the organization, but it was actually a publishing company named Rodale that was started by the same person as the Institute and used to be financially linked to it as well. The Rodale Institute is a Kutztown, PA based non-profit organization that is “dedicated to pioneering organic farming through research and outreach.” They’ve been at it since 1947, and they’re going to keep “researching the best practices of organic agriculture and sharing [their] findings with farmers and scientists throughout the world” because they believe that eating organic is the healthiest option for people and for the Earth.

Go Organic!

What’s old is new again. For most of human history, farming was organic—there was no other option. But as technology moved forward, more and more chemicals made their way onto our farms—and this was great because it enabled us to produce food on a massive scale. Unfortunately, there are a lot of negative effects that come along with industrial farming. J.I. Rodale was one of the first people to realize what was going on, which is why he founded the Rodale Institute “to study the link between healthy soil, healthy food and healthy people.” The mission hasn’t changed over more than 60 years, and The Institute continues to be a leader in research and advocacy for organic farming. They’re proving that improvements in farming technology don’t require chemicals and industrial practices. If you want to be part of the organic movement, then you should consider jobs at the Rodale Institute. The Seasonal Research Technician is the position that I was e-mailed about (there are 5 different options), and there’s also a Part Time Store Assistant position.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Do you eat organic?

The Mountain Institute

Willy Franzen — Sat, 20 Nov 2010 16:47:35 +0000

I love the mountains. They are some of the most untamed and untouched pieces of land left on the face of the Earth, and I’ve come to appreciate them more and more as I’ve lived in Chicago where you can see flat, developed land to the horizon. People who live in mountain communities are extremely reliant on the ecosystems that exist above them, yet these ecosystems are some of the most sensitive known to man. The Mountain Institute is a non-profit organization that works to “develop policies, investments, and participatory approaches to enable mountain people, and the billions affected downstream, to understand, harness, and manage the interrelated and complex issues confronting the world’s mountains in the 21st century.” Their Executive Office is located in Washington, DC, while their Corporate Business Office is in Morgantown, WV. Additionally, they have program offices across Asia, North America, and South America.

Climb to New Heights

The Mountain Institute was founded in West Virginia in 1972, and it went international in 1987. TMI operates a variety of different programs, all of which are clearly focused on making the most of our mountains. It all started with a 400-acre nature preserve on West Virginia’s tallest peak, but TMI has evolved to offer programs that focus both on environmental conservation and cultural and community development. Education is also a very large part of what The Mountain Institute does. If you’re intrigued, you should check out jobs at The Mountain Institute. Right now they’re looking for both Seasonal and Resident Field Instructors along with HQ Office Volunteers. The Field Instructor positions don’t pay all that much, but they offer unbelievable opportunities to be one with the mountains. I’m sure it could lead you in some pretty cool directions.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What’s your favorite mountain?

The Cadmus Group

Willy Franzen — Thu, 18 Nov 2010 16:02:31 +0000

I’m sure that you keep hearing about the green job revolution and how environmentalist ideals are actually going to start fueling economic growth (instead of hindering it), yet you’re probably wondering where all of these opportunities are. Most of the green entry level jobs that I come across are either in the non-profit or energy sectors. However, if you look a little more closely there are a lot more options—some of which have been around a lot longer than you would have expected. Take The Cadmus Group in Watertown, MA for example. They were founded in 1983 to “take advantage of a change in how the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) procured contractor support,” and they’ve evolved into a leading environmental consulting firm. They’ve done this by gathering “the best minds across a variety of disciplines to help address the nation’s most pressing environmental, energy, and health challenges.

Cadmus Was a Phoenician Prince

The Cadmus Group works in a variety of areas that include Water, Energy Services, Social Marketing and Communications, Green Building, Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainability, Strategic Environmental Management, and International Development. There’s a lot there, but they’re a decent sized consulting firm, so it makes sense for them to cover a lot of service areas. To get specifics on the kind of work that they do in each of these areas you can look at this section on their website. You may also want to read through their blog, although it hasn’t been updated in quite a while. Although Cadmus doesn’t get specific about client projects on their website, they provide plenty of information for you to be able to figure out where you might fit in. Their Careers page says that they generally seek applicants with backgrounds in Engineering, Public Policy, Public Finance, Statistics, Economics, Ecological Modeling, Human Health and Ecological Risk Assessment, Ecosystem Analysis, Media and Marketing, Public Relations. You can find their current openings listed here. In terms of entry level positions, you’ll want to look at the following jobs: Entry Level Communications Professional (Arlington, VA), Part-Time Computer Support Technician (Watertown, MA), Part-Time Environmental Research and Policy Analyst (Watertown, MA), Research Analyst (Arlington, VA), Research Analyst (Watertown, MA), Research Analyst – Energy Services (Watertown, MA), and Research Analyst/Analyst (Arlington, VA). And in addition the locations that I mentioned, they also have offices in Portland, OR; Boulder, CO; Salt Lake City, UT; Los Angeles, CA; Helena, MT; and Madison, WI.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What have you heard about The Cadmus Group?

Environment America

Willy Franzen — Sat, 13 Nov 2010 16:44:36 +0000

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Now, I’m not one to worry much about Global Warming, especially when I’m enjoying a snap of 60-plus degree weather in Chicago in mid-November, but that doesn’t mean I’m not concerned about the environment. There’s no doubt that our way of life has numerous negative impacts on the natural world around us, and we’re not doing enough to minimize those impacts. Environment America is a nationwide, non-profit “federation of state-based, citizen-funded environmental advocacy organizations” that is headquartered in Washington, DC. Their strategy is focused on combining “independent research, practical ideas and tough-minded advocacy to overcome the opposition of powerful special interests and win real results for the environment.” (Yes, they’re another special interest that is fighting special interests.) They’ve been around for 30 years, and I’m sure that they’re going to keep on going as long as mankind is harming the environment.

Try a New Environment

While much of Environment America’s work is focused at the state level, some of of the broader initiatives that they’re currently working on are Repower America (Green Energy), Stopping Global Warming, Our Rivers, Lakes & Streams, and Stop Toxic Pollution. As you can see, Environment America spreads their work across a lot of issues, which means that they have a ton of different job opportunities. You can find the full rundown here. For students and recent grads, their Fellowship Program is probably the best fit (and I believe potential locations include Mobile, AL; Little Rock and Fayetville, AR; Phoenix, AZ; Los Angeles, Sacramento, San Francisco and Santa Barbara, CA; Denver, CO; Hartford, CT; Washington, DC; Miami and Tallahassee, FL; Atlanta, GA; Chicago, IL; Des Moines, IA; New Orleans, LA; Portland, ME; Baltimore, MD; Boston, MA; Ann Arbor, MI; Minneapolis, MN; St. Louis, MO; Gulfport, MS; Missoula, MT; Las Vegas, NV; Concord, NH; Trenton, NJ; Albuquerque, NM; Albany and New York, NY; Raleigh, NC; Columbus, OH; Portland, OR; Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, PA; Providence, RI; Austin, TX; Richmond, VA; Seattle, WA; and Madison, WI), but you may also want to check out positions like Communication and Development – Grants Associate (Los Angeles, CA), Financial Assistant (Washington, DC), Executive Assistant (Boston, MA or Washington, DC), Communications Associate (Boston, MA or Philadelphia, PA), Web Associate (Boston, MA), and Online Organizing Software Developer (Denver, CO). There are all kinds of options, so give everything a good look.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What environmental issues are you most concerned with?

Institute for Market Transformation

Willy Franzen — Sun, 24 Oct 2010 15:31:24 +0000

I firmly believe that most situations can be made better by allowing markets to operate freely; however, I’m well aware that there are also plenty of examples of market failure. The ultimate examples are any markets that have a direct, or even indirect, effect on the environment. The reason for this is that pollution is a cost that is usually distributed across large groups of people over a very long time, so they don’t realize that they’re getting a raw deal (or in some instances they may think that they’re getting a worse deal than they are). Nobody is ever in favor of pollution, yet we constantly face tradeoffs. The Institute for Market Transformation is a Washington, DC based non-profit organization that is pursuing “various strategies for the creation of permanent, self-sustaining success of energy-efficient technologies in the marketplace.” Instead of fighting the market, they want to use it in combination with new technology to help us make the right choices when it comes to the environment.

Transform the Job Market

The Institute for Market Transformation operates in a number of areas including “technical and market research, educational outreach, and the crafting of building codes and other policy and program initiatives.” Two of the main levers that the IMT uses to transform markets are stimulation of consumer demand and stimulation of supplier innovation. Another key focus of the IMT is strengthening “linkages among property value, green building and energy performance.” Once again, that gives people an incentive to do the right thing. If you’re intrigued by the philosophy behind the Institute for Market Transformation, they you’ll probably want to take a look at their Jobs page. They currently have two positions posted: Program Manager: Energy Efficiency Finance Policy and Program Manager: Green Leasing and Federal Buildings. It’s kind of unclear how much experience they want for each, but the lack of specifics should mean that it’s worth a try.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What do you know about the Institute for Market Transformation?